1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a system used to analyze compositions to determine what chemical elements are present therein and, more particularly, to a system that analyzes liquid droplets present in the air and, if undesired liquid chemical agents are present therein, provides signals to activate alarms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The ambient by which one is surrounded is of utmost importance. However, the ambient may suffer from pollution that allows the surrounding atmosphere to be contaminated, especially by man-made waste and vapor pollutants. The environment by which one is surrounded may also be invaded by more serious pollutants, especially during terrorist situations or during warfare, in particular, biological warfare. Biological warfare involves the use of liquid chemical agents comprising living organisms (as disease germs) or their toxic products, such as blister and nerve chemical agents, that attack humans, animals or plants, with the human suffering severe bodily pain.
Various systems that monitor for the presence of nerve gases are known in the prior art. These systems serve well their intended purpose and measure vapor samples, but it is further desired to provide a system that measures liquid chemical agents such as in the form of droplets to detect for the presence of warfare agents therein. Systems that measure concentration of samples, such as chemical warfare nerve agents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,516,857 (""857); 4,725,733 (""733); 4,886,358 (""358); and 4,943,929 (""929) all of which are herein incorporated by reference. These systems also serve well their intended purpose, especially those of the ""857 and ""358 patents that employ spectrometers. It is further desired to use spectrophotometry technology, in operative cooperation with light filtering techniques, to analyze chemical agent droplets for the presence of chemical warfare agents therein, such as nerve or blister warfare agents.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a system utilizing spectrophotometry technology that accurately detects and monitors for the presence of undesired chemical agent liquids in an environment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system employing spectrophotometry technology that quickly, yet accurately, detects and monitors for the presence of undesired chemical liquids in an environment and, upon detection thereof, provides an alarm indication.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system that uses spectrophotometry technology, in particular, first and second optical scanners that operatively cooperate with a processor and a paper sensitive to chemical agent liquid droplets that detect for the presence of chemical warfare agents.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system utilizing spectrophotometry technology in operative cooperation with light filtering techniques to detect for the presence of dangerous chemical warfare agents.
Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide for an optical scanner that generates an electrical signal which is routed to means for comparing the electrical signal against predetermined signals indicative of unwanted and/or dangerous compositions, and if a match exists therebetween, an alarm is generated.
This invention is directed to a system for sampling the ambient of a selected environment for the presence of unwanted, predetermined chemical liquid agents therein. The system comprises paper, spectrophotometry means, and means for comparing. The paper stains upon contact with liquid chemical agent droplets. The spectrophotometry means generates a first digital signal serving as a first digital signature representative of the stain. The means for comparing compares the first digital signal against predetermined digital signals, each representative of a particular liquid chemical agent, and generates an alarm if there is a match between the first digital signature and the predetermined digital signals.